3 Calls Tonight

In the late innings the end of the game tonight, there were three called strikes where Toronto players were on their way to first only to be rung up. Here’s what pitch f/x has to say about where those calls were:

Nice pitch by Joba, and it was a changeup, fading away from the lefty, too.

2) Gregg Zaun vs. Mariano Rivera. 3-2 count, 1 away in the 9th

Still a nice pitch by Rivera, but that kind of sucks. It was an inch inside, and about unhittable for Zaunie from the left side. But that pitch is close enough to the belt that it will be called a strike a few inches off the plate a majority of the time – especially against a first ballot hall-of-famer like Mariano Rivera.

3. Travis Snider vs. Mariano Rivera. 3-2 count, 2 away in the 9th.

Ugh. Another ridiculously dirty cutter from Mariano and another good call by the ump. Imagine you’re a lefty trying to hit a pitch going 92 miles an hour that starts about a foot off the plate and ends up THERE. Not fair to a kid who’s barely shaving, that’s for sure…